Typewriting machine



m 1941- G. B. ALMER" TYPEWRITIQNG MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 194C) INVENTOR GUAM/AA? BI ALMER zamm ' ATTORNEY June 3, 1941. ALMER 2,244,229

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented June 3, 1941 2,244,229 TYPEWRITING MACHINE Gunnar Bengt Almer, Karlskoga; Sweden, as-

signor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 25, 1940, Serial No. 337,117

' 12 Claims. This invention relates to typewriting machines and is an improvement in the machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,165,301.

In the machine disclosed in aforesaid patent, it

has been found difllcult to type on the top edge of a sheet when the auxiliary ribbon is in use as the top edge is located between the usual card holder and paper bail. Since the auxiliary ribbon is unsupported except at the end, the top edge springs away from the platen and the pro-v truding portion assumes a nearly vertical position and; the machine becomes noisy because of the fact that the type-bars strike the unsupported paper also resulting in smudged impressions and perforations of the paper by the types. If two or more sheets are being written upon as when both carbon-copies and a master sheet are.being made, the auxiliary ribbon is also forced away from the platen and may become torn or broken by the impact of the type. In any event, the reverse imprints on the master sheet will be smudged, thereby spoiling the master sheet.

In machines used for correspondence and general oflice work, the fingers on the card holder hold the paper around the platen, and prevent the effects mentioned above. Because these fingers interfere with the auxiliary ribbon, they have beenremoved in the machine disclosed in aforesaid patent, leaving the paperfree of the platen for a zone about one inch high and the width of the paper.

In order to avoid the above difficulties, the present invention contemplates the provision of an automatically operated paper finger in the form of a short bail which is designed totake a position forwardly of the platen whenever the ribbon guiding frame is displaced upwardly so as to permit the-ribbon to pass freely to the inoperative position. At the same time, when the ribbon frame is lowered, means is provided to automatically move the finger back into engagement with the platen to hold papers close to the platen at the writing point. This prevents bulging of the papers away from the platen and not only makes the operation of the machine quieter but also prevents smearing and tearing of the paper and auxiliary ribbon which would otherwise result if it were attempted to type on a sheet when the paper is still clear of. the usual paper bail rollers.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a means which is automatically operated by the ribbon displacing mechanism to control an auxiliary paper finger or paper bail.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel. combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawings: y

Fig. 1 is a view of the left-hand end of the carriage and shows the frame which supports the auxiliary ribbon in an elevated position.

Fig. 2is a detail fragmentary viewshowing the auxiliary ribbon and theribbon supporting frame in the active position. x

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryfront view of the segment and platen showing how the present invention is mounted on the machine.

In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 10 designates the carriage which is mounted on the rails ll secured to the base I2 of the machine. Pivotally mounted at l3a. on an extension plate l3 secured to the carriage is one arm M of a frame which supports and guides an auxiliary ribbon I5. A similar arm is provided at the opposite end of the carriage and these arms are rigidly joined by a cross rod I40. and a tube M 17. Also pivotally mounted in the carriage at Ilia is an arm ll forming part of a conventional paper bail assembly of which there is provided a similar arm at the opposite end of the carriage. These arms at their free ends are secured to a rod on which is slidably rotatably mounted a pair of paper bail roll-' ers l8. Springs 19, anchored to studs on the arms i1 and on the sides of the carriage, tend to rock the paper bail in' a clockwise direction (Fig. l) The rod Ma extends through the planes of the arms l1, however, so that, when the auxiliary ribbon drame including arms l4, rod [4a, and tube lib are in the position of Fig. 1, paper bail will be held aloft as in Fig. 1. However, when the ribbon supporting and guiding frame is swung in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) about the pivots' I3a to the position of Fig. 2 by means of the finger lever 20 secured to one of the arms l4, the-paper bail will follow the movement of the ribbon frame and en.-

gage the platen.

The arms M are provided with guide means including ribbon guides generally designated 2| in Fig. land ribbon guide rollers 22 which deflect the rlbobn from a straight stretch extending parallel with the platen and along the writing line when the frame is in active position, to points adjacent the pivots l3a. Near the pivot I30, arm

-curved path around the platen.

' of travel of the carriage so as to allow free movement of the carriage without interference by the rollers 24. I i

The frame comprising arms I4, rod Ma, and tube I4b is held in the position of Fig. 1 by means of wishbone springs like 26 of which there is one provided for each of the arms I4. The

arms of these springs are loosely hooked around: studs carried by the plates I3 and arms I4, re-

spectively, whereby the springs tend to push the arms upwardly against lugs I3b formed in the plates I3 to thereby hold the ribbon supporting and guiding frame in elevated position. When the ribbon frame is lowered, the springs 28 also tend to hold the frame in lowered position and to resist any tendency of said frame to bounce due to vibration. The lowered position of the frame is defined by studs I3c which are carried by the plates I3 and project into the plane of arms I4 so as to support the arms when the ribbon frame is in the lowered position (Fig. 2).

Since the specific structure of the ribbon feeding and guide mechanisms form no part of the present invention, they will not be described further herein but reference may be had to the aforementioned patent for further details.

When the ribbon supporting and guiding frame is in the position of Fig. 2, the ribbon I5 extends in a straight stretch along the writing line on the platen 21 as in Fig. 3. In this view, 28 designates the regular inked ribbon which passes through a. guide or ribbon vibrator 29 connected to the ribbon vibrator mechanism which raises and lowers the ribbon 28 in a well-known way each time an impression is made by a typebar. The ribbon guide 29 is located between the platen 21 and the type guide 30 which is secured to the segment 3| in which the typebars are pivoted.

Owing to the necessity for proper clearance between the type guide and the platen to allow for the making of manifold copies, and the removal of the fingers on the card holder, which usually curve slightly around the platen and are I located on each side of the type guide 38, the

work sheets tend to feed in a straight-path shown by the broken line in Fig. 1, instead of in a Therefore. when it is desired to write on the leading edge of a sheet, the upper rear corners of the type will strike the paper and force it back against the platen and either tear the paper or smear it with ink from the ribbon 28.

In order to hold the paper around the platen and at the same time not interfere with the free movement of the auxiliary ribbon I5 past the type guide 38 when the carriage moves, there is provided a member in the form of a paper bail 32 which may be termed an auxiliary paper bail. This bail 32 is composed of a length of rod bent to form an inverted U and to form pivots which pass through holes in brackets 33 secured to a guard plate 34. This guard plate ordinarily acts as a shield to prevent erasure chips and dirt from dropping intothe interior of the machine sion of the springs 4I.

and lodging in the power mechanism for operating the typebars.

The guard plate 34' is somewhat arcuate in' transverse section as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and is partly cut away at 34a to accommodate the segment 3| and is also formed with straight portions or tabs 3412 on which is usually mounted the card holder 340. It is to the faces of these tabs 34b that 'the brackets 33 and card holder 34c are attached by common screws 34d. One of the pivotal portions 32a is longer than the other and has secured thereto a finger 32b extending downwardly into the space between the curved portion of the guard plate 34 and the usual line scale 35 which is pivotally mounted in the carriage and is spring pressed into engagement with the platen slightly below the writing line.

A spring 36, anchored to a lug formed in the guard plate 34 and to the end of the finger 32b, tends to rock the finger in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1). The end of the finger 32b cooperates with a rod 31 which forms part of a bail including two three armed levers 38 pivoted by studs 39 to the sides of the carriage. Either or both of the levers 38 may be provided with a cam portion 38a formed in one of the arms thereof which cam portion cooperates with a bent-over lug 40a in an arm 40 secured to an arm I4.

When the ribbon supporting and guiding frame is in the raised position of Fig. 1, the spring 36 holds the bail out of engagement with the platen. Springs like 4|, coiled around the studs 39, hold levers 38 against studs 42 on the carriage. In this position of the parts, the lug 40a occupies a position well above the cam portion 38a. When the frame is lowered to the position of Fig. 2 to place the auxiliary ribbon I5 in active position, the lug 40a will engage the cam portion 38a and rock the bail comprising rod 31 and levers 38 in a clockwise direction against the ten- This causes the rod 31 to move diagonally downwardly and to the right in Fig.1 and cams the finger 32b in a counterclockwise direction to the position of Fig. 2. The shapes and positions of the cam portions 38a and finger 32b are such that the auxiliary bail 32 does not move toward the platen until the auxiliary ribbon I5 has passed the portion of the ball 32 which contacts with the platen in order to prevent blocking of the movement of the auxiliary ribbon to and from the active position. The bail 32 cooperates with the platen adjacent the upper or trailing edge of the ribbon to compel the work sheets to travel close to the platen instead of bulging away from the platen as is usually the case. It is thus possible to type along the extreme upper edges of work sheets notwithstanding the fact that they may not have been fed far enough to pass underneath the usual paper bail rollers I8. The auxiliary bail 32 also is very helpful when it is necessary to type on the extreme lower edge of the worksheets since it tends to greatly reduce, although perhaps not completely eliminate. the tendency of the trailing edges of the sheets to bulge away from the platen when they areheld only by the bail rollers I8.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features ofthe invention as applied to asingle embodiment it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation maybe made by those skilled in the art withas indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine,'auxiliary ribbon guiding means on the carriage for supporting a ribbon along the writing line, said guiding means being movably mounted and operable to move the rib-' bon to an inactive position, a paper bail located above the writing line, a paper guiding element;

means to mount said element for movement from a position out of the path of the auxiliary ri bon in its movement to the inactive position, to a position between the paper, bail and the ribbon when the latter is in its active position; and means operated by the movement of theribbon guiding means for operating the paper guiding element,

2-. In combination with-the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, a ribbon frame mounted in the carriage for movement from an inactive position to an active position. inwhich it supports anauxiliary ribbon along the writing line on the platen, a paper guiding element movable from an inactive position to a position close bail mounted on said main framework for movement into cooperation with the platen, means to guide an auxiliary ribbon-along the writing line on the platen, means to mount said ribbon guiding means to enable the ribbon to be moved from an active position to an inactive position, and means controlled by the movable I mounting means for withdrawing the auxiliary to the platen to press work sheets around the platen above the auxiliary ribbon, and means responsive to movement of said frame for operating said element. I

3. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, means to mount an auxiliary ribbon for movement from an inactive position to an active position in which it extends along the writing line on the platen, means movable into engagement with a work sheet on the platen on a line adjacent one edge of the ribbon, and means operated by bon mounting means for actuating the movable means into engagement with the work sheet.

4. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, means to mount an auxiliary ribbon for movement from an inactive position to an active position along the writing line on the platen, a paper bail mounted for movement into and out of cooperative relationship with'a work sheet on the platen and arranged to engage the work sheet along the edge of the ribbon above the writing line to hold a work sheet wrapped around the platen adjacent the writing line, and means operative to control the movement of the paper ball by the positioning of the auxiliary-ribbon in active position.

5. In combination with thecarriage and platen of a typewriting machine, ribbon guide means movable from an inactive position to an active position in whiqh it supports a ribbon in a straight stretch longitudinally of the platen and along the writing line, a paper bail on the carriage normally engaging a work sheet on the platen at points a spaced distance above the writing line, a supplemental-paper bail movable into engagement with the work sheet in the space between the edge of-the ribbon and the firstnamed paper bail, and means responsive to movement of the ribbon guide means to active position for moving the supplemental paper ball into engagement with the work sheet to hold the leading edge of the work sheet close to the platen before such leading edge engages the first-named paper bail.

6. In combination with the carriage andplaten of a typewriting machine, a main framework in which the carriage is mounted for movement past the writing point, a supplemental paper the movement of the ribpaper ball from cooperation with the platen.

7. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, a main framework on which the carriage is mounted, a type guide, means movably mounted on said framework adjacent the type guide for engaging a work sheet on the platen at points close to the writing line, means mounted in the carriage movable from an inactive position to an active position in which it supports an auxiliary ribbon in a straight stretch along the writing line and beneath the point of contact of the movable means with the work sheet, an operating bail for said movable means pivotally mounted in the carriage and operati'vely engaging said movable means in any position of the carriage, andmeans mounted on the carriage and responsive to movement of the ribbon supporting means for actuating the operating bail.

8. In combination with the carriage and platen supplemental paper bail mounted on said framework and movable to engage the work sheet between the edge of the ribbon and the points of engagement of the first-named paper bail with the platen, an operating bail for the supplemental paper bail mounted in the carriage and having a sliding operating connection to the supplemental paper bail, and means operated by the movement of said frame for controlling the operation of the supplemental paper bail comprising cam means interposed between said frame and the operating bail.

9. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, a main framework on which the carriage is mounted for movement; means for supporting an auxiliary ribbon along the writing line of the'platen, said supporting means being movable to carry the ribbon to an inactive position remote from the writing line;

a main paper bail engagea-ble with the platen a spaced distance from the edge of the auxiliary ribbon,an auxiliary paper bail movable into en-' I gagement with a work sheet on the platen in the space between the first-named paper bail and the edge of the ribbon to hold the leading edge of a work sheet which does not extend far enough to be, engaged by the first-named bail against the platen, and means controlled by the first- 10. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, a main paper bail cooperating with the platen to feed a work sheet line on the platen and being paper bail from engagement with gaging the work sheet engaging member train and separated by a space from the writing line, a supplemental paper bail movable into engagement with the work sheet immediately above the writing line on the platen, means operable to move the main paper bail to an inactive position, and means controlled by said operable means for moving the second bail to an inactive position. v a

11. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine, a ribbon supporting and guiding frame pivotally mounted on the carriage for supporting a ribbon in a straight stretch along the writing line on the platen and operable to move the ribbon to an inactive position remote from the writing line, a member engaging a work sheet on the platen above the ribbon to hold said work sheet wrapped around the platen, and means including cam means controlled by themovement of said frame to carry the ribbon to the inactive position for disenthe work sheet whereby to enable the ribbon to pass to the inactive position.

12. In combination with the carriage and platen of a typewriting machine; means to support and guide a ribbon in a straight stretch along the writing line on the platen, said means being movably mounted'to enable the ribbon to be moved to an inactive position remote from the writing line, work sheet engaging means located in the path of movement of the ribbon and engaging the work sheet adjacent the edge of the ribbon nearest the inactive position, and means controlled by the initial movement of the ribbon to the inactive position for moving the work sheet engaging means out of the path of the ribbon to enable the ribbon to pass to the inactive position.

' GU'NNAR BENGT ALMER. 

